The present invention generally relates to messaging and more particularly to techniques for processing messages during a conversation between users.
Advances in technology have created many ways of communicating with users. For example, users may communicate using email, instant messaging (IM), short message service (SMS), multimedia service (MMS), facsimile (fax), voice, etc. Users may have any combination of devices that communicate using the above methods.
An instant message (IM) conversation is typically between two instant message clients for two users having the conversation. The IM clients may be, for example, running on personal computers. At some point during the conversation, a user may want to switch to another device but continue the conversation with the other user. For example, a user may want to use a mobile device, such as a cellular phone with an IM client, to continue the IM conversation with the other user. However, the user cannot continue to send messages in the same conversation that was initiated using the IM clients on the personal computers. Rather, the user would have to manually reconnect to the other user to start a new conversation using the cellular phone with the IM client. Accordingly, the original conversation is terminated and a new conversation is started with the new device.
The above process includes many disadvantages. For example, whenever a user desires to change devices, the original conversation is ended and a new conversation is started with the new device. This requires manual steps by the user to start a new conversation. Also, when a user switches devices, the new device may not have the same capabilities as the old device. Thus, the user may not be able to even communicate with the other user using the new device.